Theos-Talk Archives (April 2003 Message tt00163)

Monday, April 28, 2003

Dear C:

I'll try and add my understanding of Theosophy to this, see if it
is useful:

Look on all phenomena in our world as a kind of balancing.

Make use of the information about the 7 principles of man.

In the 7 principles BUDDHI (wisdom) is balanced in the
personality by "KAMA" desires and passions. Always the MIND is
in between as Observer and Witness. It has to be the controller
if there is to be any progress out of the domination of KAMA and
the impersonal freedom of LAW as enshrined in BUDDHI -- knowledge
and wisdom in action, but always in close combination.

We (as MIND BEINGS -- Monads) live in our "personalities"
(masks) of each incarnation, but WE (THE mind) are not the "mask"
it only conceals us. The tragedy of many lives is that it also
conceals the REAL from the false position. In the day to day
world we are forced to live in this "false position." One of our
tasks as immortals and reincarnators is to learn to distinguish
between the REAL and the false. Then to change our perspective
from the "false" to the TRUE -- then live as though the TRUE was
the only valuable thing to make apparent in all; we do.

MEDITATION is never negative. It is a different kind of thinking
directed at finding out all one can understand about a particular
selected subject. IT NEVER BLANKS THE MIND. That concept is
fallacious -- if the mind were blanked how could any one ever
learn anything from meditation? Have you read and studied
PATANJALI ? It is a most valuable book for us all.

The description you offer is an exercise in EMOTIONAL DISCHARGE.
The REAL PERSON -- the THINKER is never involved emotionally or
totally subjugated by the desires and passions. If it were it
would be incapable of recognizing the difference between WISDOM
and folly.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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-----Original Message-----
From: christinaka [mailto:christinaka@adelphia.net]
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 7:16 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] RE: Jesus required swords

Perhaps it is more about balancing than it is about soothing the
self...?

Personality is always the cause of emotional outbursts, right?
Well,
the discipline needed to move away from feeling personally
affected,
being slighted or wronged, is incredibly hard. [The whole fit a
camel
thru the needle eye feat] Turning the other cheek can imply a
lot of
things.

Imagining what we should feel has a lot to do about getting to
the point
where we accept everything that comes our way in life; we own up
to our
own deeds, sow what we reap. There are exercises that deal with
this
which I have read about in a meditation book. Mind you, I have
not
attempted the exercise, but it seems that it could be very
effective on
some level. I paraphrased what I recall of it:

The example begins with the retreat to your secluded spot for
meditating; take the next 10 minutes to be negative. Begin by
telling
yourself "No". "NO", and behind the no, put every ounce of anger,
fear,
anxiety, saddness, anything that has ever made you feel bad, mad,
afraid, violent, everything negative, as negative as you can be.
If you
have a pillow handy, it may be a good thing to lash out at it,
punch it,
scream in it, and get rid of all of this. What happens? All of
this
negative "stuff" is purged. It was easy to do even. After 10
minutes,
stop. Notice how calm it becomes after this part...

The second part is to say to yourself "yes", "YES" and recall
every
good thing you can in your life, friendships, happy memories,
hugging a
loved one, when they yelled "surprise" at your suprise birthday
party,
helping someone out, world peace, harmony, everything wonderful
full of
love and good. Ater 10 minutes stop. By the end of the exercise
you
may be very tired and wish to sleep. Do that, and wake up
refreshed and
ready to embrace your life for better or for worse!

The point of the exercise is twofold:

First to exercise control over
emotional states of the self, it demonstrates that your body and
your
mind are not your thoughts. They are not you.


Second is to force out the negative and usher in the positive.
One
could possibly just imagine performing the exercise, not even
really do
it, and realize the lesson. I think that the little private
"timeout"
could allow adequate venting of our personal nature.


Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster, huh?! We do have control
over ourselves it
seems. Or, at least there is a way toward achieving that goal.
And
discernment in thought and in action seem to get a bit easier
when the
self has control over those passions and desires. Practice makes
perfect, and we are all potentially perfectable. If anyone feels
the
negative stuff, they should let go of it by controlling it, and
embrace
love and harmony.

I think turning the other cheek has a lot of depth in meaning.
Just some
of my thoughts on the subject. =O)

"WE are the music makers
And WE are the dreamers
Of dreams"--WWATCF
------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: peter.m [mailto:snowlion@btopenworld.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 1:29 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] RE: Jesus required swords


Chrisina wrote:
>>> When you are mad, think of peace and harmony and wish it were
in
everything. When you are shunned, humilated, threatened, wish
only
love, peace and harmony on the world and act on those feelings.
So do it literally and it is an exercise in self-control.<<<


Thanks Christina,

This does rather suggest that the phrase 'turn the other cheek',
which
is just a movement of the face, should not be taken literally.
It
symbolises the noble virtues and actions you suggest above.

I'm wondering... is 'turning the other cheek' always enough. Is
it
possible that *on its own* it is a way of not coming to terms
with our
feelings, desires and the personal nature? Does imagining the
opposite
of what we really feel adequately deal with those feeling or does
it
become a way of repression and suppression? I am asking this as
a
general question, not to anyone in particular.

Peter

==============================
-----Original Message-----
From: peter.m
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 10:16 AM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] RE: Jesus required swords


Reed,

I was reflecting on whether your message to Adelasie provides a
good
example of the sword in use at the mental level with a little bit
of
parry and
thrust!:-)

My impression is that the expression to 'turn the other cheek'
was not
meant to be taken simply literally but metaphorically. It
symbolises
more than just a physical turning of our head/face from one
direction to
another, does it not? The real meaning of this phrase only
becomes
apparent when we understand it as a psychological and spiritual
expression which, of course, you know. Maybe I've missed your
'point'?

Best,
Peter




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